Nitin Gadkari reveals how Delhi pollution makes him rethink every visit to the Capital

financialexpress.com:

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who is also Member of Parliament from Nagpur, expressed his concern over the worsened pollution levels in Delhi as he often hesitates to visit the national capital because it poses health risks. On Tuesday, while speaking at an event, Gadkari confessed that this city’s pollution causes infection very frequently, making him reluctant to travel there.

“Every time I come to Delhi, I wonder whether I should even go because the pollution is so severe,” he said. “The situation is so bad that I often feel it’s better to avoid the city.”

He emphasized that addressing this issue needs to be the prime focus of the people as curbing fossil fuel consumption has become one of the most important and effective means of decreasing pollution. “India spends an eye-watering Rs 22 lakh crore on importing fossil fuels, which poses significant challenges to our economy, environment, and ecology,” he said.
“Reducing fossil fuel imports can help mitigate pollution, and we must promote alternative fuels,” he said.

On a more positive note, the air quality in Delhi showed improvement on Tuesday as the Air Quality Index registered a reading of 274, marking the third consecutive day of relief. This gave much-needed respite to residents after a particularly harsh November, when toxic air quality persisted for most of the month.

Gadkari also emphasized that the most critical problems of India are poverty, hunger, and unemployment. He said that with the progress of the country, policies should be framed which balance economic growth with social equality.

With inputs from PTI.